Over the past four years, a pattern has emerged: The Arizona gymnastics team always loses at ASU and the Sun Devils always lose in McKale Center. But that’s fine with the Gymcats – this year the teams’ annual meeting is at home for Arizona.

Historically, the Sun Devils have dominated the rivalry, going 74-21-3 all-time against Arizona and 13-5-1 in McKale Center.

But the scales may have tipped this season, as Arizona (4-2, 2-2 Pac-10) has bested ASU (1-4, 1-3) in the rankings since competition began.

ASU was ranked No. 11 in the pre-season coaches’ poll but fell to No. 17 Feb. 12 before a bye week excluded the team from the rankings because the Sun Devils didn’t have enough meets to qualify. Arizona has improved from No. 16 pre-season.

But Arizona isn’t taking a win for granted.

“”I don’t care if they were like 0-8, they’ll come in here good,”” said Arizona head coach Bill Ryden, who noted the teams have been hit equally hard by injuries this year.

Senior Aubrey Taylor is out for at least six weeks after breaking a bone in her foot Feb. 12, and sophomore Alexis Greene is out for the season with a ruptured Achilles tendon. The bars lineup is stretched especially thin because junior Danielle Hicks, senior Jamie Holton and sophomore Bree Workman all have injuries that prohibit them from working on bars. Freshman Jamie Custer is recovering from a fall-semester bout of mononucleosis and has not yet competed for Arizona.

“”You know, we seem to keep getting better, even with all these (injuries),”” Ryden said. “”We keep getting knocked down and we just keep getting back up.””